NO TRICKS…JUST TREATS
The latest God Outdoors event coincided with a half-term school holiday and the run up to a much-hyped, highly-commercialised Halloween. Consequently, many of the attendees had enjoyed a fun, ‘dress-up’ day in school and arrived in St. James’ church grounds in an array of frightful costumes and garishly painted faces!
Turning the annual festival on its head, GO’s simple theme was: ‘NO TRICKS, JUST TREATS’. The ‘darkness’ commonly associated with Halloween was replaced with an enLIGHTening Bible story from Matthew’s gospel (Chapter:7-8)
Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him?
Once the youngsters had re-fuelled with homemade biscuits and juice, and completed their first challenge which tested their knowledge (and added to their understanding) of spiders, they all gathered in the log circle with Rev. Naomi.
Using Matthew’s words and the idea of gifts – disappointing ones and amazing ones, Rev. Naomi gave the children a hands-on experience by inviting them to open up a gift bag and share the contents. Anticipation soon turned to disappointment, as a series of unwanted, undesirable gifts were pulled out of bags. A balloon with a hole in it, an odd sock, an empty chocolate packet, a dirty rag and an apple core were all deemed ‘useless’ and of ‘no value’. Much to the relief of the youngsters, the final bag contained something much more acceptable – sweets to share!
A range of activity stations within the grounds, each linking the trappings of Halloween to the kinder, more benevolent Christian focus, gave the children plenty to do for the next hour. Scooping the flesh out of pumpkins presented a time challenge, before the contents were mixed with cornflour and food colouring and transformed into a magical slime. Willow sticks were whittled, ready to hold ‘snake’ bread twists for baking over the flames of the fire pit. Pebbles and rocks were primed and ready for painting and decorating with joyful, bright colours. Intricate webs were woven across sticks, symbolizing our connection with each other and with nature. Snake mobiles were created from paper plates and decorated with interesting patterns and glorious colours, celebrating the wonders of creation.
All too soon, it was time for pause for tea. Cheesy pasta and cake was shared and enjoyed, before the group came back together in the log circle, where Rev. Naomi reiterated all the good gifts (treats) God showers us with, without any tricks!
The rain had held off. The sun was just setting. And the children toddled through the church gates laden down with ‘good gifts’ from the event. Parents and carers assisted in carrying webs, stones, paper spiders and bread snakes, carefully crafted by their little one(s). The youngsters were busy clutching their pot of gifts from Rev. Naomi: some sweets to remind them of the sweetness of God, a glow stick to help them remember how God’s light shines in the darkness and some bubbles to use as prayers, drifting heavenwards.
Once again, the children had met God outdoors, through words, through nature and through activities. It had been a shared experience…and hopefully, one which they will remember as being full of treats and no tricks!